Means for cuffing trousers and preparing same therefor



Dec. 9, 1958 J. G. BUTLER MEANS FOR CUFFING TROUSERS AND PREPARING SAME THEREFOR Filed NOV. 50, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet l dame: 6. Buf/er INVENTOR.

svW WM Dec. 9, 1958 J. G. BUTLER 2,863,591

MEANS FOR CUFFING TROUSERS AND PREPARING SAME THEREFOR Filed Nov. 50, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 dame: 6. Buf/er INVENTOK 1953 1 JG. BUTLER 1 MEANS FOR CUFFING TROUSERS AND PREPARING SAME THEREFOR Filed Nov. 50, 1955 4 Sheet's-Sh eet s l I dame; 6. '50 //ev l Y INVENTOR.

i WA/WM Dec. 9, 1958 r 2,863,591

MEANS FOR CUFFING TROUSERS AND PREPARING SAME THEREFOR Filed Nov. 30, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 dame; 6. Buf/er INVENTOR.

United States Patent O f MEANS FOR CUFFIN G TROUSERS AND PREPARING SAME THEREFOR James G. Butler, Van Buren, Ark.

Application November 30, 1955, Serial No. 550,048 10 Claims. (Cl. 223-2) This invention relates to a trouser cufiing device and process and more particularly to an improved device and process for measuring, marking, cutting and cuffing the legs of trousers.

I do not intend to include as a part of my invention any particular means of permanently securing the cufis on trousers, and my use herein of the terms cuffing and applying cuffs or like expressions should be considered accordingly. The use of such expressions herein regarding my invention refers to forming the cuffs rather than permanently securing them in place.

Because the leg length of trousers varies with the customer, clothing stores buy trousers without cuffs and then cuff them to the proper length for each customer. This is more diflicult than might first appear because the legs of any given pair of trousers as they come from the factory are often different in length and also in width at any particular point along their length. Furthermore, they frequently are not cut straight across the bottom of the legs. Usually it costs the merchant as much to cuff a cheap pair of trousers as it does to cuff an expensive pair, yet he is unable to charge the customer accordingly.

There has been a long-felt need in the art for a rapid, efficient, simple and economical means of cuffing trousers. One embodiment of this invention is to supply that need. Other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the description of this invention given hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals are used to designate like or equivalent elements.

Referring to the drawings generally:

Figure l is a perspective view of the measuring and cutting device.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the measuring and cutting device showing the left leg of a pair of trousers in position for being measured and cut. The right leg is folded back.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the measuring and cutting device showing both legs of the trousers in position for being measured and cut.

Figure 4 is a detail view of a crotch-engaging member for holding the trousers while being measured and cut.

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one embodiment of my cufiing device.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the embodiment of my culling device shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is the same view of the device as shown in Figure 6, showing one unfolded leg of a pair of trousers thereon.

Figure 8 is the same as Figure 7 except the end of the trouser leg has been folded back.

Figure 9 is a view along the line 9 -9 of Figure 8 showing a pressing guide on the cutting device.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the pressing guide shown in Figure 9. r

assassi Patented Dec. 9, 1958 ice Figure 11 is a perspective view of an iron for pressing the fold of a cuff while on the cuffing device of Figure 8.

Figure 12 is a side elevation, partly in section, of another embodiment of my culling device, on a mount having measuring guides, showing one unfolded leg of a pair of trousers thereon.

Figure 13 is a plan view of Figure 12 showing the trouser leg folded back.

Figure 14 is a side elevation of an iron for pressing the fold of a cuff while on the cufling device of Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a view along the line 15-15 of Figure 14.

, Figure 16 is an enlarged perspective view, partly in section, of the cuifer shown in Figure 12, less the mount and measuring guides.

Figure 17 is a detail sectional view showing the pressing guides of Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a detail view showing the trouser-holding pins of Figure 16.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail:

The device of my invention may conveniently be divided into means for measuring and cutting the trouser leg and means for cufling them, two embodiments of the latter being shown, described and claimed herein.

The measuring and cutting device, Figures 1-4, comprises a board 20 or the like of any desired shape which may be supported on legs or a table (not shown) or other similar structure. A long measuring scale 21 slidably fits in a slot 22 extending throughout the entire length of the board. A second relatively short measuring scale 23 is fixed on the top surface of the board and extends from the narrow end of the board toward the wider end past the end of the first measuring scale. The two scales are substantially parallel to each other and along a portion of their length they overlap side by side. Near one end of the board is a crotch-engaging bar 24 which is pivotally and slidably attached to a rod 25 secured to the edge of the board 20. The bar is held at any desired point along the rod by a setscrew 26. A crotch-engaging pin 27 is attached to the bar 24 and may be adjusted to any desired position along the bar by a bolt and wing nut arrangement 28. Details of the bar, pin and rod are shown in Figure 4. Near the opposite end of the board 20 a knife 29 is hinged. A pair of chalk lines 30 is permanently fixed to the top surface of the board 20. Two other pair of chalk lines 31 and 33 are hinged to one end of the board. Support arms 32 and 34 are used with the movable chalk lines 31 and 33. A chalk line guide 35 attached to one edge of the board 20 serves to keep the chalk lines in place. These chalk lines comprise one of two means covered herein for indicating at what points the cloth is to be folded for making the cuff. These chalk lines will be further described hereinafter when describing the operation of my invention.

One embodiment of my cutting device, Figures 5-11, comprises a base or support 36. One end of two spaced apart parallel rods 37 is fixedly attached more or less directly to the base. The other end of the rods is fixedly attached to an upright 38 in the shape of an inverted T which in turn is fixedly attached to the base 36 through the cross of the T. Another such upright 39 is slideably attached to the rods 37 through the ends of the cross on the T. Near each end of the leg of both Ts there is an opening which extends completely through this portion of the uprights. A tubular sleeve 40 is securely fixed in this opening and extends therethrough beyond the upright. A rod 41 rotatably extends through the opening and sleeve. On one end of the rod a handle 42 is secured thereto for rotating same, and on the other end of the rod a hollow cylinder 43 and 44 is fixedly attached thereto. The handle 42 and shoulders 45 prevent the rods 41 from slipping longitudinally of the sleeve 40 to any undesirable extent. Another rod 46 is parallel to and positioned in between the two rods 37. One end of the rod 46 passes through about the center of the cross of the T in the movable upright 39 and is fixedly attached thereto. The other end of rod 46 passes slideably through a tubular sleeve 47 fixedly secured in about the center of the cross piece of the T on the fixed upright 38, and this end of rod 46 is pivotally attached to a handle 48. One end of the handle contains a slot 49 through which a member 50 ties the handle in with the stationary upright 38 so that the free end of the handle 48 may be moved to vary the distance between the hollow cylinders 43 and 44. Set screw 51, which passes through the movable upright 39, is used to maintain the cylinders the distance apart to which adjusted.

A pin 52 on cylinders 43 and 44 serves to hold the trouser leg, as more fully explained hereinafter under operation of my invention. The pressing guide 53 (Figures 9 and is used to connect the two cylinders 43 and 44 in the manner shown. The pressing guide comprises two side plates 54 held apart substantially parallel to each other by spacer plates 55. A slotted plate 56 is attached to the edge of the spacer plates and lies between the side plates. These slots fit over the cylinder rods 41 and in this position the ends of the side plates 54 are adjacent to the periphery of the hollow cylinders 43 and 44, thereby joining the cylinders and forming a continuous surface from the outside of one cylinder to the outside of the other, as shown.

Preferably the iron 57 used for pressing the creases in the trouser leg in forming the cuffs is in the shape of an angle iron made substantially U-shaped, as shown in Figure 11. The iron has a suitable handle 58 and a line 59 through which some form of heat, preferably steam, is supplied. The pressing guide 53 and the iron 57 will be further described hereinafter with reference to the operation of my invention.

Another embodiment of my cuffing device, Figures 12-18, comprises two substantially identical halves of a cylinder split longitudinally. These halves are adjustably held apart any desired predetermined distance by tracks 61 (preferably two pair) and gears 62, the tracks being securely attached to the half cylinders 60. The gears are fixedly attached to a rod 63 which is rotatable by a handle 64. A member 65 for slideably and rotatably mounting the cuffing device on a support 66 is fixed to thetracks. A set screw 67 holds the cuffing device in the selected position on the support. A hook 67-A ties the handle 64 of the rod 63 to the member 65, thereby holding the two half cylinders the distance apart to which adjusted. Each side of the half cylinders 60 is bent inwardly to form lips 68 adapted for telescoping a pressing guide 69 in and out of the half cylinders. Two flexible strips 70 are riveted 71 at one end to each half cylinder and the other end of the strip contains a short finger 72 which extends into a hole 73 in the half cylinder. The pressing guide has holes 74 which index with the holes 73 of the half cylinder when the pressing guide is telescoped into the half cylinder a given distance, thereby allowing the finger 72 to extend into the holes of the pressing guide (Figure 17). A pin 75 located at both corner edges and the center edge of each half cylinder serves to hold the trouser leg in place. These pins are mounted on one edge of a plate 76, the other edge of which contains a member 77 projecting into a slot 78 in the half cylinder. Thus, the pin is permitted to move slightly around the periphery of the half cylinder but not otherwise, thereby providing the mobility needed to prevent tearing of the trouser leg. This embodiment of my cuifing device contains measuring guides 79, the ends 80 of which may be adjusted to any desired distance from the half cylinders and held in place by set screws 81. Desirably the iron 82 for use in pressing in connection with forming the cuffs on this embodiment of my device comprises a unit in the shape of a cylinder split in half longitudinally and closed on all sides. The curved surface of the iron is perforated 83 to allow the escape of heat, preferably steam, in pressing. A handle 84 is attached to one end of the iron. The heat is supplied through a line 85 connecting the inside of the iron with a source of heat (not shown).

Now the operation of my measuring and cutting device, Figures 1-4, will be described. For the sake of clarity and simplicity this description will be given with reference to starting with a trouser of given leg length and applying a given size cuff thereto. Obviously this same principle applies with any length leg and size cuff desired. In order to finish with a cuffed pair of trousers having a leg length of 32 inches inseam, an uncuffed pair of trousers 86 with 37 inch length legs inseam is placed on the board 20 with waist toward the wider end of the board. The crotch bar 24 is lowered into place and the crotch bar pin 27 placed in the crotch of the trousers. The end nearest the knife 29 of the long measuring scale 21 is 4% inches from the narrow end of the board 20. Thus the crotch-engaging bar 24 is on the 32 inch mark of scale 21. Likewise, the end of scale 21 near the narrow end of the board 26 is on the 4% inch mark of the short scale 23. Both scales 21 and 23 are numbered from their ends nearest the narrow end of the board 20. Then the legs of the trousers are extended past the knife 29. The distance between the crotch and the knife edge is 36% inches. The legs are cut off by lowering the knife. In this example approximately inch is cut off the legs to give the desired length and also to take care of the usual factory irregularities such as uneven leg lengths, uneven cutting, etc. This now leaves 4% inches of cloth for cuffing the trousers using a full standard cuff of 1% inches width and a turn-up of inch.

Now the cuffing operation of my invention will be described with reference to using the embodiment thereof comprising the two hollow cylinders (Figures 5-11) to cuff the trousers which have been measured and cut as described in the immediately preceding paragraph. As the operator faces the cuffing device on the side thereof on which the hollow cylinders 43 and 44 are located, he moves the unattached end of the handle 48 away from the cylinders which brings the cylinder 43 closer to the cylinder 44. The end of the trouser leg, with wrong side out, is placed over both cylinders to a point where the end of the leg touches the uprights 3S and 39. The leg is pressed down over the pins 52 in the cylinders and this holds the leg in place. The distance between the end of the cylinders 43 and 44 and the uprights 38 and 39 is fixed at 4 ,4; inches since this is the distance needed for providing standard cuffs. Of course other distances may be used, if other size cuffs are desired, by making this distance adjustable. The end of the trouser leg then is folded back over the cylinders and placed over the pins 52 so that the end of the leg extends an estimated inch beyond the pins. Since the pins are /2 inch from the edge of the cylinders, the trousers now extend /1 inch back over the cylinders 43 and 44 and the trouser leg extends 1% inches double thickness beyond the end of the cylinders, which is the desired cuff material. The cylinders are moved apart until the trouser leg is taut by moving the handle 48 toward the cylinders. The pressing guide 53 is placed on the cylinders and beneath the trousers such that the cylinder rods 41 extend through the slotted plate 55 and the cylinders extend through the opening between the ends of the side plates 54 to form practically a continuous surface from the outside of one cylinder to the outside of the the other (Figure 9). A crease is pressed in the trouser at the inch fold by applying the heated iron 57 as shown in Figure 11 and then repeating the same operation by applying the iron in like manner to the other side of the assembly. The cylinders are lined up with a sewing machine (not shown) so that the needle sews along the line of the pins 52. The cylinders are brought closer together as explained above and the trouser leg is removed therefrom. The same operation is applied to the other leg of the trousers. The legs easily fold up at the pressed line to form 1% inch cuffs with 4 inch turn-up on the inside of the cuff. After folding, the cuffs are tacked. Although not necessary, the cuffs now may be pressed in the conventional manner if desired.

Now the cufiing operation of my invention will be described with reference to using the embodiment thereof comprising the split cylinder (Figures 12-18). The trouser legs are cut to length as described hereinbefore. The end of the trouser leg, withwrong side out, is placed over the half cylinder unit until the end of the leg touches the measuring guides 79, the ends 80 of which are 4% inches beyond the end of the half cylinders 60. The leg is hooked over the pins 75 and the half cylinders are expanded to tighten the cloth slightly by turning the handle 64 clockwise. The end of the leg is folded back and hooked over the pins 75 an estimated inch from the end of the leg and thehalf cylinders are expanded to further tighten the cloth. In order to insure against the possibility of the half cylinders slipping closer together, the hook 67A on rod 65 is hooked over the handle 64. The trousers are then sewn along the tack line with the foot of the machine against the end of the half cylinders. The pressing guide is in and flush with the end of the half cylinders at this time. Since the 2% inch overhang of the trouser leg beyond the end of the half cylinders is desirable for sewing but too much for pressing, the pressing guide 69 is pulled out of the half cylinders until the holes 74 therein are indexed with the holes 73 in the half cylinders, whereupon the spring action of the strips 70 press the fingers 72 into these holes (Figures 12 and 13). This reduces the overhang of the leg to the desired 1% inches for pressing to form the cuff. This overhang is turned inside the half cylinders and the iron 82 is inserted in the inside of one of the half cylinders so as to press the cloth between the iron and the inside of the half cylinder. The same operation is repeated for the other half clyinder, thereby giving the desired bottom crease of the 1% inch cuff. With the cuff pressed down, the sewing machine is again used to tack the cuff at the side seams. Thus the cuff is sewed, pressed and tacked in essentially one operation. The same operation is applied to the other leg of the trousers.

Instead of using the measuring guide 79 as such and instead of using the uprights 38 and 39 for measuring guides, I may use the chalk lines 30, 31 and 33 (Figures l-3). As will be seen from the drawings, the pair of chalk lines 3-9 fixed to the board 20 mark the outside of one leg, e. g., the left leg. Then the pair of chalk lines 31 are lowered over the inside of the left leg and the right leg is placed on the board. Thus chalk lines 31 mark the inside of both legs. The pair of chalk lines 33 are lowered over and mark the outside of the right leg. In lowering the chalk lines 31 and 33 into position they are also placed over the chalk line guide 35. This produces two lines completely around the inside of both legs of the trousers. When using the chalk lines the legs must be wrong side out when marked by the chalk lines. Otherwise the chalk lines would not show when the legs are placed over the two cylinders or the split cylinder for cufling, because the legs are placed over these cylinders wrong side out. The leg is placed wrong side out over the dual cylinder embodiment or the split cylinder embodiment of my invention and hooked at the bottom line over the pins 52 or '75. The leg is made tight on the cylinders and the end of the leg folded back over the bottom line and up to the top line and hooked over the pins. The trouser legs are pressed and sewn in the same manner 6 v as when using the measuring guides described hereinbefore.

Means of permanently securing the cuffs in place is not a part of my invention per so. To accomplish this purpose I may use any conventional means, including e. g. sewing, taping, stapling, or equivalent means. Instead of hand-operated equipment, I may very well use automatic equipment, and in which event either one leg or a plurality of trousers may be processed simultaneously by one operator. Of course either embodiment of my cutting device may be used in combination with my measuring and cutting device or in combination with conventional means of measuring and cutting; however, I prefer to use my measuring and cutting device with one embodimerit of my cutfing device in order to make possible the practice .of a well-rounded process. Likewise my measuring and cutting device and my cufiing device obviously may be constructed and operated as one machine or unit, and if desired the conventional device used for securing the cuffs in place (e. g. a sewing machine) may also be combined with this single unit. They are treated separately herein merely for the sake of clarity and simplicity of understanding. While I have described my invention hereinbefore with reference to taking inseam measurements, it will be quite apparent to those skilled in the art that I may also use outseam measurements, i. e. measure from the outside edge of the waistband instead or from the crotch. The crotch bar 24 is not used for outseam measurements. Instead, the end of the outseam near the top of the trousers (usually just about the pocket opening) is placed at the point on scale 21 to give the desired length. Otherwise, cutting from outsearn measurement is the same as cutting from inseam measurement according to my invention.

There are a number of important advantages to be gained by practicing my invention as compared with the art. My invention produces at about twice the rate and only about half the cost per trouser as the best known method in practice today, and at the same time it does a more accurate job. It is simple and economical to construct, operate and maintain.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for cufiing trousers comprising a base, a substantially hollow cylinder fixedly mounted on the base, a second such cylinder mounted on the base and slideable therealong away from and toward said fixed cylinder, said cylinders each having attached thereto one end of a rod, the other end of each rod extending through uprights on the base, said uprights also serving as gauges for determining where to fold the trousers.

2. Apparatus for cufiing trousers comprising a base, a substantially hollow cylinder fixedly mounted on the base, a second such cylinder mounted on the base and slideable therealong away from and toward said fixed cylinder, a handle communcating with said second cylinder for sliding it along the base, said cylinders each having fixedly attached thereto one end of a rod, the other end of each rod adjustably extending through uprights on the base, said uprights also serving as measuring gauges whereby the distance between the cylinders and the uprights may be varied according to the size cuff desired, and means for maintaining the movable cylinder in the position to which adjusted.

3. Apparatus for cuffing trousers comprising a base, an I upright fixedly secured to the base, a second such upright movably secured to the base, two adjacent outside rods one end of which is attached to the bottom of the fixed upright and the other end of which is attached to the base, the outside rods slideably extending through 7 the bottom of the movable upright, a third rod located between the outside rods adjacent thereto and attached to the bottom of the movable upright and slideably extending through the bottom of the fixed upright and terminating as a handle whereby the movable upright may be moved along the outside rods any desired distance away from and toward the fixed upright with the outside rods serving to guide the path of travel of the movable upright, means for maintaining the movable upright in any desired position to which adjusted, a substantially hollow cylinder mounted in the top of each of said uprights, both of the cylinders being adapted to fit inside of the end of one leg of the trousers at the same time and to hold it expanded open and taut while being cuffed, and means on the cylinders for maintaining the trouser leg thereon.

4. Apparatus for culling trousers comprising a substantially hollow cylinder split substantially in half longitudinally, toothed spaced apart tracks each with one end attached to one of the half cylinders and the other end extending freely over the opposite half cylinder, a shaft rotatably mounted between the tracks, a cogwheel attached to the shaft at the level of the tracks and having cogs adapted to mesh with the teeth on the tracks whereby rotation of the shaft in one direction moves the half cylinders apart and rotation in the other direction moves the cylinders toward each other, means for maintaining the half cylinders the distance apart to which adjusted, means for adjusting the length of the half cylinders, comprising a plate of substantially the same curvature and of suitable width cooperating with and permanently and slideably attached thereto, with a means to control the extension thereof, means on the half cylinders for maintaining the trouser leg thereon, and a rigid member attached to the cylinders for mounting the cuffing apparatus on a support at any desired operating height.

5. Apparatus for cuffing trousers comprising a substantially hollow cylinder split substantially in half longitudinaliy. toothed spaced apart tracks each with one end attached to one of the half cylinders and the other end extending freely over the opposite half cylinder, a shaft rotatably mounted between the tracks, a cogwheel attached to the shaft at the level of the tracks and having cogs adapted to mesh with the teeth on the tracks whereby rotation of the shaft in one direction moves the half cylinders apart and rotation in the other direction moves the cylinders toward each other, means for maintaining the half cylinders the distance apart to which adjusted, means for adjusting the length of the half cylinders, and a rigid member attached to the cylinders for mounting the cufhng means on a support at any desired operating height.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the means for adjusting the length of the half cylinder comprises lips on the straight edges extending along the length of the half cylinder, a plate of substantially the same curvature and width of the half cylinder which slideably fits in the lips, strips attached at one end to the half cylinder and having a finger on its opposite free end, said strips being springy and adapted to force the fingers through holes in the half cylinder and the plate when the plate is moved outwardly to give the desired extension in length of the half cylinder and the holes are indexed.

7. Apparatus for cuffing trousers comprising an expandable form preferably in the shape of a substantially hollow cylinder split substantially in half longitudinally, toothed spaced apart tracks each with one end attached to one of the half cylinders and the other end extending freely-over the opposite half cylinder, a shaft rotatably mounted between the tracks, a cogwheel attached to the shaft at the level of the tracks and having cogs adapted to mesh with the teeth on the track whereby rotation of the shaft in one direction moves the half cylinders apart and rotation in the other direction moves the half cylinders toward each other, means for adjusting the length of the half cylinders, means on the half cylinders for maintaining the trousers leg thereon, means for maintaining the half cylinders the distance apart to which adjusted, a rigid member attached to the cylinders for mounting the cuffing apparatus on a support at any desired operating height, and a measuring gauge attached to a support on which the cufiing means is mounted and adapted to be adjusted for extending the end of the trouser leg beyond the end of the half cylinders any desired predetermined distance.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, including means cooperating with the two cylinders, to form a continuous surface, comprising two spaced plates positioned between the cylinders so that the two cylinders and the two plates form a unit having a continuous surface from the outside of one cylinder to the outside of the other cylinder, and an iron comprising a substantially U-shaped member having a wedge-shaped groove therein adapted to fit on an edge of the said continuous surface to press the trouser cuffs while still on said form.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, including a pressing iron, and wherein said iron is cylindrical in shape and adapted to fit against the inside surface of the half cylinders to press the trouser cuffs while still on said form.

10. A process for culling the bottom of -a trousers leg which comprises placing the trousers leg inside out on a generally tubular form of approximately the same external diameter as the inside of the trousers leg, anchoring the trousers leg on the form and leaving a predetermined length of the trousers leg overhanging the end of the form, folding the free end of the trousers leg outwardly of the form upon the body of the trousers leg and registering the end of. the trousers leg beyond the form with a predetermined point on the form, securing the folded free end of the trousers leg in the folded position to the body of the trousers leg, turning the free folded end portion of the trousers leg upon the inside of the trousers form along a line between the folded end of the trousers leg and the securing means to form the cuff, pressing the cuff from the inside of the trousers leg to produce a pressed cuff, and then removing the trousers from the form and turning the trousers right side out.

References (litter! in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,065,856 Wickersheim June 24, 1913 1,101,522 Chipman June 30, 1914 1,190,280 Freeman July 11, 1916 1,976,711 Abresch Oct. 16, 1934 2,426,431 Blumenfeld Aug. 26, 1947 2,493,618 Compiano Jan. 3, 1950 2,532,362 Halek Dec. 5, 1950 2,694,257 Centanni Nov. 16, 1954 

